Page:Woman of the Century.djvu/777

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WIGGIN.
WIGHT.

benefit of the school. Three-thousand copies were sold without its appearance in a book store. In 1888 Mr. and Mrs. Wiggin removed to New York. The separation from her kindergartens left so much leisure work on her hands that she again began her literary labors. Some of her works are: "The Birds' Christmas Carol," "A Summerin a Canon" and "Timothy's Quest." "The Story Hour" was written in conjunction with her sister Nora. Mrs. Wiggin has given many parlor readings for charity, which show that she ts also an elocutionist of merit. She is an excellent musician, possessing a beautiful voice, and has composed some very fine instrumental settings for her favorite poems, notably her accompaniment to "Lend Me Thy Fillet, Love," and of Ibsen's "Butterfly Song." She has published a book of children's songs and games, entitled "Kindergarten Chimes." The death of her husband, in 1889, was a grievous blow, from which she bravely rallied, and returning to California, again took up her beloved work in a large normal school for the training of kindergarten teachers, of which she is the head.


WIGHT, Miss Emma Howard, was born in Baltimore, Md. She is the only daughter of J. Howard Wight, a well-known tobacco broker of that city. She is of English extraction, her father's ancestors having come over with Lord Baltimore. Her paternal grandmother was a Miss Howard, of the well-known Howard family, and a celebrated beauty in her youth. On the maternal side she is also descended from an old Maryland family. EMMA HOWARD WIGHT. Miss Wight was educated in the Academy of Visitation, Baltimore, and early showed a decided talent for writing, her school compositions being always highly commended. For some years after leaving school her time was given to society, though she occasionally wrote a little for her own amusement. At length, acting upon the advice of friends, she submitted some of her writings with a view to their publication. They were promptly accepted, and her productions have since appeared in some of the best journals in the country. Some of her theological articles were especially commented upon by Cardinal Gibbons, and were copied in some of the leading English journals. Her novel, "Passion Flowers and the Cross," appeared in 1891 and made a great stir in the literary world. She is very fond of outdoor exercise as a panacea for nearly all physical ills and a great promoter of health and beauty.


WILCOX, Mrs. Ella Wheeler, author, was born in Johnstown Center, Wis. Her parents were poor, but from them she inherited literary bent, (er education was received in the public schools of Windsor, Wis., and in the University of Wisconsin. ELLA WHEELER WILCOX. She began to write poetry and sketches very early, and at the age of fourteen years some of her articles were published in the New York "Mercury." Two years later she had secured the appreciation of local editors and publishers, and from that time on she contributed largely to newspapers and periodicals. Soon after, she published "Drops of Water" (New York, 1872), a small volume on the subject of total abstinence. Her miscellaneous collection of verse entitled "Shells" (1883) was not successful, and it is now out of print. Her talents were used for the unselfish purpose of providing a comfortable home for her parents and caring for them during sickness. She has had the satisfaction of being a widely read author and of receiving a good price and ready sale for all she produces. In 1884 she became the wife of Robert M. Wilcox, of Meriden, Conn., and since 1887 they have resided in New York City. Her other works are "Maurine" (Chicago, 1875); "Poems of Passion" (Chicago, 1883); "Mai Moulee," a novel (New York, 1885), and "Poems of Pleasure" (1888). She has published several novels and has written much for the syndicates.